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A Test for Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease Using Nasal Brushings

Definite diagnosis of sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease is based on an invasive brain biopsy procedure to obtain a small piece of brain tissue for further immunohistochemical analysis. Recently, testing of cerebrospinal fluid with a new in vitro PrPCJD amplification technology, designated real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC), has shown considerable promise as a highly specific diagnostic test for sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. However, lumbar puncture is an invasive procedure with potential side effects.

As it appears, in addition to brain tissue, PrPCJD   accumulates olfactory epithelium. The latter presents an alteranative of a non-invasive diagnostic test based on nasal brushing of olfactory epithelium utilizing  RT-QuIC.  In this study, RT-QuIC testing of olfactory epithelium samples obtained from nasal brushings was more accurate in diagnosing Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease than RT-QuIC assay of CSF (97% and 77 %, respectively).

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